What I Wish More People Knew About Singing...

I wish more people understood that singing encompasses your full body and your entire lifestyle.

If you know me, you know that I love a good behind-the-scenes moment — a la MTV Diary in the early 2000s, lol. While I appreciate a finished product, I love the making of even more. It gets into the nitty gritty, tells me the how and why, and that speaks to the inner me who lives for the details.

That said, when it comes to singing, I learned long ago that it’s more than just your voice — whether naturally given, learned, or a combination of the two. Singing well (and with longevity) requires a deep commitment to your instrument. Although, I find that so often, people forget that a singer’s body is the instrument. It’s mental, physical, emotional, and more. That’s what makes it such a beautiful, soulful expression.

I could go in a thousand different directions on this, but I’ll stick to just a few:

Mental
While I do believe there are some real limits to one’s voice, I also firmly believe that what a singer produces can be shaped by their belief in what they can produce.

Aside from the technical and educational aspect, there’s also the very real side that speaks to how your life — and your thoughts about your life — affect the sound you make. I think we can all relate to being directly affected by our own thoughts, stressors, and worries in the moment. For a singer, that’s magnified.

Physical
I have a strict routine — things I do and don’t do, foods and drinks I avoid, especially before a performance. My body is my literal instrument, so I have to stay conscious of what it craves and needs in order to produce what God is intending.

Lifestyle — what I did the night before, my daily habits, how I slept, how I feel — all of it has an audible effect on the voice. That’s why I try to stay mindful of my singer status at all times. I choose to be responsible for my instrument.

Emotional
Emotions, emotions… the soul behind the sound! They’re everything — and they deeply impact how we perform.

To me, emotion is what brings the music to life and delivers the kind of truth that resonates. Nevertheless, there have been plenty of times when I’ve felt completely opposite from what I was singing. That’s where visualization and other techniques come in, of course — but for now, I just want to name the emotional factors that affect us as singers. They’re very real.

I can recall a time this year when I had to perform and just 20–30 minutes before showtime, a wave of sickness came over me. I had done all my usual pre-show rituals, eaten within my parameters, etc., but something was off. We stopped at a convenience store but nothing helped.

Once I got backstage and heard my name called, adrenaline and muscle memory kicked in — and she was readyyy! I’m so grateful for that, but it reminded me just how much our bodies are the instrument… and the show. It’s high-key scary lol.

I’m learning to honor my voice — and my body — at all times. Some days are harder than others, but that just means I have to be more present and deliver based on what’s actually happening in the moment. That’s what makes a performance real. That’s what makes it resonate. And I find so much joy and freedom in that.

The goal is always excellence; that’s what practice, training, and discipline are for. What’s most important to me, though, is the spiritual truth that’s always begging to come out.

If you’re a fellow singer (or just enamored with singing like I am lol), let me know what resonated with you. Have you ever been reminded — gently or violently — that lifestyle is a major key to your instrument? Would love to hear from you.

Always Yours,

Aja